Electrode support apparatus for electrical precipitators

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for supporting and electrically connecting a discharge electrode of an electrical precipitator, the apparatus comprising a support channel having a set of receiving tabs and in combination therewith an electrode hanger configured to be removably received by said tabs to electrically connect and support an attached electrode.

United States Patent an Kline 1 1 ELECTRODE SUPPORT APPARATUS FORELECTRICAL PRECIPITATORS [75] Inventor: Richard L. Kline, Louisville.Ky.

[73] Assignee: American Air Filter Company. Inc..

Louisville. K).

122] Filed: June 12. I974 [21 I Appl. No.1 478.529

Related US. Application Data [(52l Di\ision of Scr. No. 238.247. March27. 1972. Pat.

1 1 Nov. 11. 1975 2. 36.385 12/1943 Bateheller... 339/278 TX 2.688.6889/1954 Holt/ 339/273 F 2.695.653 11/1954 Flint 248/224 X 3.1116981)1/1962 Gonzalez 55/137 311881192 4/1963 Ullrich 339/248 3.175.341 3/1965Winter 55/43 3.4831171) 12/1969 Quintilian et al. 55/112 3511144983/1970 1 indholm................. 287/205 FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 831.824 3/19M1 United Kingdonr.... 248/224 995.555 8/1951France 248/224 544.084 2/1932 German 55/154 546.352 3/1932 German 55/154Primary Iimm/Inr-Bt: rnard Nozick 1571 ABSTRACT An apparatus forsupporting and electrically connect ing a discharge electrode of anelectrical precipitator. the apparatus comprising a support channelhaving a set of receiving tabs and in combination therewith an electrodehanger configured to he remorabh received by said tabs to electricallyconnect and support an attached electrode.

4 Claims. 8 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 11, 1975 Sheetlof2 3,918,938

U.S. Patent Nov. 11, 1975 Sheet 2 of 2 ELECTRODE SUPPORT APPARATUS FORELECTRICAL PRECIPITATORS CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS Thepresent invention is a division of co-pending application, Ser. No.238,247, filed Mar. 27, I972 by Richard L. Kline, now US. Pat. No.3,835,623 issued Sept, 17, I974.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Previously, it has been a problem to secureand electrically connect the discharge electrodes of an electricalprecipitator to a current carrying support means. Advantageously, theelectrodes are sought to be removably fastened so that they can beeasily replaced, yet, not easily dislodged during precipitatoroperation, by various influences, such as the incoming dirty gas stream,or the vibrations of a downstream collecting plate cleaning mechanism.Previous attempts at providing a suitable electrode support andelectrical connector have resulted in constructions which have beencostly, complicated, and difficult to fabricate. However, the inventionof this application avoids the problems of the prior art constructionsand provides a straightforward inexpensive readily constructed andeasily maintained apparatus for supporting and electrically connectingdischarge electrodes in an electrical precipitator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention includes, an electrostaticprecipitator comprising a discharge electrode construction and supportmeans therefor comprising:

an electrode support apparatus;

a current carrying support means having a plurality of hanger engagingtabs projecting therefrom, the tabs being arranged in sets, each setincluding two tabs lying in intersecting planes and projecting from thesame side of the support means, the set of tabs being further defined inthat each tab is oblique with respect to the other;

the tabs defining electrode hanger receiving slots, one slot locatedbetween each of the tabs and the current carrying support means, theelectrode hanger receiving slots being generally V-shaped incross-section;

a self-aligning electrode hanger having a discharge electrode attachedthereto and having tab engaging edges which are removably received inthe electrode hanger receiving slots of a set of tabs.

The electrode apparatus of this invention has been found to be veryuseful in that it provides a simple easily constructed effective meansof supporting and electrically connecting discharge electrodes ofelectrostatic precipitators to current carrying support means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is an isometric view showing thedischarge electrode support apparatus of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged isometric view of the support means shown in FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the electrode hanger of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of an alternative embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged isometric view of the support means of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the electrode hanger of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. I shows a support means 10which contains preselectively positioned sets of hanger engaging tabs llprojecting therefrom. The tabs 11 lie in intersecting planes and projectfrom the same side of support means 10. Advantageously, tabs I I areoblique with respect to each other. It is also possible that one tabcould be vertical and the other slanted, Each tab 11 forms a V- shapedelectrode hanger receiving slot 12 with support means 10, and in doingso, the tabs which are advantageously punched from support means 10project outwardly at an angle of about 30 degrees with respect tosupport plate 10. Electrode hanger receiving slots 12, formed by tabs 11of a set, function cooperatively with one another to removably receivean electrode hanger 13. In this regard, electrode receiving slots 12 areadvantageously V-shaped in cross-section but need not be limited to sucha configuration.

Electrode hangers 13, (FIGS. 4 and 8), are shaped to engage tabs 11 andbe in positive electrical contact between tabs ll and support means 10.The electrode hangers are advantageously flat but can be of anycurvature, (for example, bowed) which is not inconsistent with achievingthe advantages of this invention. The precipitator electrodes 19 areconnected to the electrode hangers 13 opposite end portions 14 and theelectrodes are weighted on their lower ends thereby providing a constantforce to hold hangers 13 in engagement with tabs 11. It is important tonote that tab engaging edges 18 of hangers 13 are advantageously taperedto slant with respect to each other at the same angle as does each tab11 with respect to the other tab in each set. Such slanted tab engagingedges give a self-aligning feature to hangers 13 and allow for maximumelectrical contact between support means 10 and hangers 13 whileinsuring positive removability of the two.

Advantageously, with respect to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4, whenthe electrode hangers are wedge-shaped, the tabs of a set open towardeach other and are mutually divergent upwardly, while, with respect tothe embodiment shown in FIGS. 5-8, when the electrode hangers areT-shaped, the tabs of a set open away from each other and areadvantageously mutually convergent upwardly.

As shown in FIG. 4 electrode hanger l3 advantageously has an enlargedend portion 14 serving as a failsafe stop should tabs 11 accidentallybecome spread so far apart that they no longer engage edges 18. Alsohanger 13 has an aperture 15 therein. In its assembled condition(FIG. 1) aperture 15 aligns with support means aperture 17 to allow afastener, such as a nut and bolt (not shown), to be passed therethrough.

FIGS. 5-8 show an alternative embodiment of the invention wherein tabs11 open outwardly away from each other and are mutually convergentupwardly. Electrode hangers 13 are generally T-shaped having projections16 extending downwardly from the cross bar or end portion 14 thereof.FIG. 5 shows the electrode hangers removably received in the electrodereceiving slots 12. Again, in the construction of this embodiment tabsll are advantageously punched from the electrode support means. Alsoelectrode hangers 13 are advantageously flat. In the use of theapparatus of this invention one firstly provides a current carryingsupport means 10, advantageously a channel shaped member, in position inhis electrical precipitator, the support means having sets of tabs llpreselectively located so that the discharge electrodes will be properlylocated therein. Secondly, discharge electrodes having hangers attachedto one end thereof and electrode weights or additional hangers attachedto the other end thereof are fabricated. The electrodes are then placedwithin the precipitator with each hanger being received in the electrodereceiving slots of a set of tabs and in positive electrical contact withthe tabs and support means, in a removable manner.

it should be further noted that although the invention has been shown inthe drawing in terms of a support means comprising tabs 1 I it isequally feasible that tabs H could be located in a second hanger of anelectrode and thus two electrodes could be coupled in end to endfashion. It is, of course, also possible that the hanger of an electrodewould contain tabs 11 and the support means would have, protrudingtherefrom, a portion identical to the shown electrode hangers to form asimilar electrode support apparatus with the disclosed elementsreversed. All of these variations are intended to be within the scope ofthis disclosure.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

I. In an electrostatic precipitator the improvement comprising adischarge electrode construction and support means therefor comprising:

an electrode support apparatus;

a current carrying support means having a vertical wall and a pluralityof hanger engaging tabs punched outwardly therefrom, the tabs beingarranged in sets, each set including two sets lying in intersectingplanes and projecting from the same side of said support means whereineach tab of each set of tabs opens toward the other of the same set, thetwo tabs being divergent upwardly to each other;

said tabs defining electrode hanger receiving slots one slot locatedbetween each of said tabs and said support means, said electrode hangerreceiving slots being generally V-shaped in cross-section;

a self-aligning electrode hanger having a discharge electrode attachedthereto and having tab engaging edges which are removably received insaid electrode hanger receiving slots of a set of tabs, saidself-aligning electrode hanger being tapered to fit between a set oftabs with its edges removably engaging said tabs.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each tab of each set of tabs isoblique with respect to the other tab of the same set.

3. The discharge electrode support apparatus of claim 1 wherein saidtabs project at an angle of about 30 with respect to said support means.

4. The discharge electrode support apparatus of claim 1 wherein saidelectrode hanger comprises two tapered edges which are received one byeach of said tabs to positively removably engage said support means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each tab of each set of tabs isoblique with respect to the other tab of the same set.
 3. The dischargeelectrode support apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tabs project at anangle of about 30* with respect to said support means.
 4. The dischargeelectrode support apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electrode hangercomprises two tapered edges which are received one by each of said tabsto positively removably engage said support means.